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Alexander has been in a Top 25 boys' name in the US for 30 years now. But namers are still attracted to its imposing historic pedigree.
 Alexander is derived from the Greek name Aléxandros, composed of the elements aléxein, meaning "to defend," and aner, meaning "man." 
 
According to Greek legend, the first Alexander was Paris, who was given the nickname Alexander by the shepherds whose flocks he defended against robbers. He was followed by Alexander the Great, aka Alexander III, who conquered much of Asia.
 
A royal name in Scotland, Alexander is still highly popular there. In Gaelic, the name became Alasdair; in Spain, Alejandro; and in Italy, Alessandro.
 
The noble Alexander has led to the popularity of many spinoffs, such as Alex, Zander, Xan and Zan, along with female versions such as Alexandra, Alexis, and the unfortunate Alexa.
 Among the many notable Alexanders in history, standouts are Hamilton, Graham Bell, Fleming, Pope and Haig.
 Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber's Alexander is known as Sasha.

Alexander

Alison has been long popular in Scotland and widely used here since the fifties; this more feminine medieval derivative of Alice had long surpassed the original in popularity. But now sounds a tad dated in the U.S., with Alice having leapfrogged back over Alison, Alicia and other variations. Allison is the only variant still ahead of the stylish Alice.

Alison

Aria is a multi-cultural name with two extremely popular versions: this more word-like one along with Arya, the spelling used for the feisty young heroine of Game of Thrones. There were about 6400 baby girls named Aria in the US last year alog with 2400 named Arya, which counted together places the name in the Top 10.
 
The light and airy Aria entered the list in 2000 and now ranks among the Top 25 girl names in the US. In Italian, Aria's literal meaning is air, while in Hebrew it's a form of Ari meaning lion. An Aria is a musical term denoting a kind of song or melody, often in an opera.
Aria is a Top 100 name throughout the English-speaking world and also ranks highly in France and several European countries -- though notably not in Italy or Israel. In Persian, Aria is a male name, and in Indian it is considered unisex. 
Aria is also an improbably cool saint's name. Saint Aria (or Arria) of Rome was an early Christian martyr.

Aria

The recent ascent of this English surname is due to two things: the megapopular Ash beginning and TV/movie hottie Ashton Kutcher. The name peaked at Number 76 in 2004, a year after Ashton Kutcher's (both Christopher Ashton) hit TV show Punk'd made its debut.

Ashton

Fairy-tale memories of Sleeping Beauty inspire some parents—such as Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen—to call their daughters Briar Rose. But Briar plus a different middle name might work even better. It's one of the newly popular nature-word names, charting in the US for the first time in 2015 for both genders.
 While there are about four girls named Briar to every three boys, the name is on the rise for both genders. It could make for an interesting choice to honor a Brian.

Briar

Ethan is a name that succeeds in being at once classic and fashionable, serious and cheery, strong and sensitive. Given a big boost via the name of the Tom Cruise character in the Mission Impossible film series, Ethan has fallen from its peak at Number 2 in 2009 and 2010, but is still popular in the US along with several other countries.

There are several Ethans in the Old Testament, the most prominent of whom, Ethan the Ezrahite, is praised for his wisdom. 
 
Ethan's prime historic namesake in the US is Ethan Allen, Revolutionary War hero; in literature the name is associated with the eponymous Ethan Frome of Edith Wharton's novel. A more current namesake is actor Ethan Hawke. 

Along with the English-speaking countries, Ethan is popular in France and other French-speaking European countries and in Latin America.

While Americans and Brits pronounce the name EE-thun, most other languages follow the pronunciation of its native Hebrew: AY-tahn. International variations include Etan, Izan, and Eitan, from which the name derives.

Ethan

Emerald

Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon, but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990.
 
Fiona is the best known of a group of related Gaelic names, which is ironic because it's the only one without genuine traditional roots — it was found first in James Macpherson's Ossianic poems and then popularized in the late nineteenth century as a feminine pseudonym for William Sharp, a Scottish male writer. <a href="https://twitter.com/HJosephineGiles/status/1555216419721297922">Some researchers believe</a> that Fiona Macleod was Sharp's identity as a trans woman.
 
Its recent spike in popularity owes much to singer Fiona Apple and also possibly to Princess Fiona in Shrek. In fact, there have been numerous Fionas on the big and small screens, from The Thorn Birds to Josie and the Pussycats, Four Weddings and a Funeral to Nurse Jackie to Shameless.
 
Jennie Garth and Chad Lowe have daughters named Fiona. It's also Julia Roberts' middle name.
 
If you're looking for something more authentic, consider Fionnuala.

Fiona

One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. It was recently chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, which can likely be credited for its spike in popularity in the past few years. Surname names and nature names like Hayes, which qualifies on both counts, along with occupational names all make up the new generation of stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/502/english-names-for-boys">English names for boys</a> that go far beyond Harry and Edward.

Hayes

James is one of the classic Anglo-Saxon names, a stalwart through the ages that is more popular—and yes, stylish—than ever today. It recently came out Number 1 in a poll of America's favorite boys' baby names, and is the most common male name, counting people of all ages, in the US.
 James, which reentered the Top 5 in 2016, is a current favorite among fashionable parents looking for a baby name that has both style and substance. Like Henry and Theodore, it manages to combine these two stellar qualities.
 
An English derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob, James is biblical (the name of two apostles in the New Testament), royal (kings of both England and Scotland), and presidential (with more U.S. Chief Executives -- six -- than any other name). The name James is also shared by countless great writers and entertainers.
 
There are fewer Jimmys, Jimbos or even Jamies these days; the most fashionable form of the name is James itself. Several stylish celebrities have chosen it in recent years for their sons, including Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick, Liz Phair, Colin Farrell and Isaac Hanson. Brendan Fehr thought out of the box and named his daughter James, which has now become a fashionable middle names for baby girls..
James has some interesting foreign variations: Diego and Jaime (Spanish), Jacques (French), Giacomo (Italian), Hamish (Scottish), Jaako (Finnish), Seamus (Irish), Jaap (Dutch) and Jago (Cornish).
 Along with being one of the most popular first names in the US, James is also one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/top-last-names-in-the-us">most common American last names </a>.

James

Though there were two apostles named Judas, everyone remembers the one who betrayed Jesus, and the name has been permanently shunned. 

Judas

One of the most romantic names, the lovely and stylish Juliet seems finally to have shaken off her limiting link to Romeo. In Shakespeare's play, it was Juliet who said "What's in a name?" 
 

 Juliet originated in the Middle Ages as a diminutive form of Julian, then a predominantly female name. It ultimately derives from Julius, a Roman family name. Its origin is shrouded in history, but possible roots include Latin iuvenis, meaning "youthfu"; Greek ioulos, meaning "downy-bearded"; or Jovis, a form of Jupiter, which means "sky father".
 
French version Juliette, pronounced the same by most English speakers though the French emphasize the last syllable, was more popular than Juliet for the first time in 2015. Both names have taken over for Jennifer and Jessica as fashionable <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/j">girls' names starting with J</a>.
 Juliet Burke was a character on Lost and Juliet Sharp on Gossip Girl. Juliet Low was the founder of the American Girl Scouts.
 Other ideas to consider: the original Julia, still lovely; Juliana; or even Jules.

Juliet

The nature boy version of the Scandinavian Leif, which actually means "heir". In the creative-naming Phoenix family, Leaf is the former name of the actor we know as Joaquin.

Leaf

LENOX

Levi, lighter and more energetic than most biblical names, with its up vowel ending, combines Old Testament gravitas with the casual flair associated with Levi Strauss jeans. 
 Now it's being rediscovered in a major way—Levi has been shooting up the charts in recent years. Extremely popular in the US, it's also a Top 100 name throughout the English-speaking world as well as in a diverse range of countries from Germany to Brazil.
 
In the Old Testament, Levi was the third son of Leah and Jacob, from whom the priestly tribe of Levites descended; in the New Testament, Levi was Matthew's given name before he became an apostle. It is suspected that Levi derives from the Hebrew word yillaweh, meaning "he will join." 
 Levi received a lot of attention as the sons of Matthew McConaughey, Sheryl Crow and Sara Gilbert.
 In the Thomas Hardy novel Far from the Madding Crowd, Levi Everdene is the father of the heroine. 
 <br/
Levon is a related name.

Levi

In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it seems that a few parents are prepared to look past this problematic association, seeing this as a offbeat option for those who defy convention. We would recommend thinking seriously about the background of this name before bestowing it on your daughter.

Lolita

Lydia is one of the first place names, after an area of Asia Minor whose inhabitants are credited with strong musical talent great wealth. Always among the US Top 1000 girl names, Lydia is a quietly fashionable classic.
 Although mentioned in the New Testament (Lydia was the first European convert of Saint Paul), it didn't really emerge as a viable first name until the eighteenth century, promoted via the character of Lydia Languish in Sheridan's popular 1775 play The Rivals, and the youngest of the Bennett girls in Pride and Prejudice.
 Lydia continued to be a literary favorite, found in the novels of George Eliot and D. H. Lawrence. And there's also the iconic Groucho Marx ditty: "Lydia the Tattooed Lady."
 Lydia is increasingly appreciated for its history and haunting quality. Cute nickname: Liddy or Lydie.

Lydia

May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the prettiest middle name options. May was as high on the list as Number 57 in the 1880s; it's now 228 on Nameberry.
 May started as one of the innumerable pet forms of Mary and Margaret, as well as a springtime month name along with April and June. She's represented in literature by May Bartram in Henry James's The Beast in the Jungle and May Welland in Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence. 
 Actresses Emily Morton and Madeline Stowe named their daughters May, and Eric Clapton and Jodie Sweetin used it in middle place for theirs.

Michael was the Number 1 American boys' name for almost half a century. While Michael has moved out of the Top 10 <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">baby boy names</a>, it's still widely used. 
 
How has Michael racked up this phenomenal record? Credit its use by parents of diverse ethnic and religious groups, and Michael's all-around likability, strength, and sincerity. 
 
Michael was derived from the name Mikha’el, which comes from the rhetorical question mī kā’ēl, meaning "who is like God?" in Hebrew. In the Bible, Michael is the archangel who led the other angels to victory in a war against Satan, one of only two archangels (the other is Gabriel) recognized by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. 
 
Today, Michael may feel more like a dad name than a baby name. Substitutes you might consider include Micah, Malachi, Gabriel and Raphael.

Michael

Noah is nearly a patriarch of popular baby names at this point, going from Old Testament graybeard to Top 10 name in 2009, hitting Number 1 in 2013, and now settled into second place in the US for five years. 

Noah was derived from the Hebrew name Noach, which itself came from the root nuach, meaning "rest." In the bible, Noah was deemed the only righteous man of his time, singled out by God to survive the great flood sent to punish the world. He built his famous ark, onto which he herded a pair of every animal.
 
A generation or two ago, Noah seemed far too antiquated to become a popular name. But now, along with brethren Abraham, Moses, and even Elijah, it's eminently baby-worthy. 
 
Noah's popularity is widely international, ranking highly in all English-speaking countries along with France, Germany, Italy and Spain. Noah is also a top name in countries as diverse as Belgium and Brazil, Norway and Chile.
 
Actor Rupert Graves and singer Michael Buble both have sons named Noah. Billy Ray Cyrus, responsible for the name Miley, crossed gender lines to call another of his daughters Noah. 
 
The feminine homonym Noa -- which isn't a form of the Biblical male Noah (it's a separate female name from the Old Testament) -- is currently the most popular girls' name in Israel. And Noah itself, with its vowel ending, is evidence of the trend toward softer sounds in boys' names, along with brothers Joshua and Asher.
While variation Noa is an actual girls' name drawn from a female figure in the Bible, it is sometimes used as a sleekened spelling of Noah.

Noah

Orion is a rising star, with both mythical and celestial overtones.
 The Greek mythological Orion was the legendary hunter who pursued the seven daughters of Atlas, was slain by the goddess Artemis, and then placed as one of the brightest constellations in the night sky by Zeus.
 Mark Twain had a brother named Orion, and Chris "Big" Noth picked the name for his son. It is also a Harry Potter name.
 Orion's Gaelic connection to O'Ryan/Ryan makes it familiar as well as unusual.

Orion

Among a small shower of rain-related names, this pure version can have a cool, refreshing image. 
 Richard Pryor named his now-grown daughter Rain, and Rain is also one of the nature-named Phoenix family siblings. More recently, 24 actress Marisol Nichols named her daughter Rain India.
 Rain also makes a nice nature middle name--Brooke Burke called her daughter Heaven Rain.
 If you want to embellish this simply spelling (and alter the meaning), you might also consider Raine, Raina, Rainn, Rayne, Reine or Reign, the middle name of Willow Smith. Or you could take the Holly Madison route all the way to Rainbow.

Rain

Rose is derived from the Latin rosa, which referred to the flower. There is also evidence to suggest it was a Norman variation of the Germanic name Hrodohaidis, meaning "famous type," and also Hros, "horse". In Old English it was translated as Roese and Rohese.
 
Rose, one of the old-time sweet-smelling flower names, has had a remarkable revival—first of all as a middle name—with parents (e.g., Jennifer Garner & Ben Affleck, Jon Stewart, Eric Clapton, Ewan McGregor) finding Rose to be the perfect connective, with more color and charm than old standbys like Sue and Ann. At this point in time, though, some parents are finding there are too many roses in the middle spot of the garden.
 As a first name, Rose reached its highest point from 1896 to 1921, the early heyday of flower names, when it was in the Top 20, though it had been in use for centuries before. Rosy/Rosie is an irresistibly cheery nickname, very popular on its own in the UK. There are any number of Rose offshoots, including Rosa, Rosetta, Roseanne, Rosanna, Rosemary, Rosamund, Rosalind, Rosalie, and Rosina.
 Rose and Rosie have long been celebrated in song, and notable Roses range from Rose Kennedy to Rose Byrne, and on-screen Roses have featured in a range of films and TV shows, from Titanic to Harry Potter to Golden Girls.

Rose

This shimmery Age of Aquarius unisex flower child name is making a comeback, along with metal and gem names like Steel, Jade, and Ruby. 

Silver

There's definitely a cold front of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a> moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure, evocative -- and magical. A haunting middle name choice. 
 Rare as a first name, there have been several notable surnamed Snows--including singers Hank and Phoebe, and scientist/novelist C.P. And then there's the dreamy Jon Snow in Game of Thrones.

Snow

Most parents today would prefer the softer-sell Stella. But Star has symbolic power related to Christmas, so this could make one of the perfect <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/577/names-for-december-babies">names for December babies</a>.

Star

Though some may find such names rather harsh and severe, increasing numbers of parents are gravitating toward this kind of flinty, steely, stony single-syllable name. 
 Many know the name via the distinguished TV newsman Stone Phillips; another bearer is Pearl Jam lead guitarist Stone Gossard. And yes, both were given the name at birth.

Stone

The girls have dibs on Spring, Summer, and Autumn, leaving this name evocative of snowy landscapes as the one possible seasonal choice for boys. And naturally, it's one of the most obvious <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/89/winter-baby-names">names for winter babies</a>.

Winter

juliencloud17's list "Names I Plan On My Future Kids" of 35 great name ideas: - - Winter!

Names I Plan On My Future Kids

Yes, I want to have eleven kids. :P I've always thought a big family would be nice. Plus, my kids will never have to worry about not having friends. :)